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ENTERTAINMENT EYE JUNE 21, 2024 | The Indian Eye 42

FAITH and FILMS:

Two flicks face launching trouble as

courts look at communal angle

Supreme Court stays the release of Annu Kapoor starrer movie ‘Hamare Baarah’; Gujarat High
Court’s stays the release of ‘Maharaj’ which is the debut film of Aamir Khan’s son Junaid

OUR BUREAU
Mumbai/New Delhi
n a verdict that will have far-reach-
ing consequences for the enter-
Itainment industry in India, the
Supreme Court has put a stay on the
release of the Annu Kapoor starrer
movie ‘Hamare Baarah’ and asked
the Bombay High Court to decide
expeditiously a petition alleging that
the film was derogatory to the Islam-
ic faith and married Muslim women.
A vacation bench of Justice Vikram
Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta
halted the release of the film till the
disposal of the petition challenging
the movie’s certification.
Jointly produced by Birender
Bhagat, Ravi S Gupta, Sanjay Nagpal,
and Sheo Balak Singh, and directed
by Kamal Chandra, ‘Hamare Baar- A still from ‘Hamare Baarah’ Junaid Khan in ‘Maharaj’
ah’ stars Annu Kapoor, Manoj Joshi,
and Paritosh Tripathi. The movie was themed on women’s empowerment movie was set to premiere on Netflix An application was filed in the
scheduled to release on June 14. and population awareness. Virender on June 14. ‘Maharaj’ landed in le- High Court by the devotees of Lord
The apex court was hearing a plea Bhagat said, “I want to thank the Su- gal trouble after an urgent petition Shri Krishna and the followers of Val-
challenging the order of the Bombay preme Court for hearing us today. The was filed in the Gujarat High Court labhacharyaji with allegation made
High Court permitting the release of censor board said that this is a movie regarding controversial comments by the Pushtimarga sect that the film
the movie. “Until disposal of the pe- on women’s empowerment and pop- about the Vaishnava sect and the con- ‘Maharaj’ is based on the Maharaj def-
tition before the High Court, screen- ulation awareness and had submitted tention of matters that hurt the senti- amation case of 1862 and that it con-
ing of the movie in question shall re- the report to the Bombay High Court. ments of Hindus. tains words and comments that hurt
main suspended. We request the High Recently, the Bombay HC per- After the preliminary hearing of the faith and sentiments of the Vaish-
Court to dispose of the plea expedi- mitted the release of the movie af- the petition, the High Court granted nava-Pushtimarga sect and Hinduism.
tiously,” the bench stated in its order. ter the makers agreed to delete two an interim injunction against the re- “The release of the movie based
During the hearing, the judges dialogues from the film. Earlier, the lease of the film ‘Maharaj’. Shailesh on Maharaj Libel Case of 1862, is
also observed that they watched the court was informed that a three-per- Patwari filed a petition in the High likely to incite feelings of hatred and
teaser of the movie and found it to son review committee could not con- Court on June 13 regarding the film violence against the Pustimargi sect
be “offensive.” Petitioner Azhar Ba- clude and requested more time for ‘Maharaj’. He said, “This film is por- which, would be in breach of code of
sha Tamboli had earlier approached their report. traying Hindu Gods and Shlokas in ethics under the Information Tech-
the High Court against the certificate The Karnataka government has the wrong way and is trying to increase nology (Intermediary Guidelines and
given by the Central Board of Film banned the release or broadcast of the the gap between Hindus and Mus- Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules,
Certification (CBFC) to the movie movie ‘Hamare Baarah’ in the state lims. This should not happen. I have 2021 (hereinafter referred to as the
and sought to revoke the certification for two weeks or until further notice. told this to the High Court and made ‘Rules of 2021’) and the Self-regula-
granted to the film “Hamare Baarah” In the meanwhile, another mov- an appeal and asked to ban this film.” tion Code of Over the Top Technology
and injuncting its release. ie is facing a similar situation. The The producer and others filed a (OTT),” read the petition.
Reacting to the Supreme Court makers of Aamir Khan’s son Junaid petition with the Court against the in- ‘Maharaj’ is directed by Siddharth
ruling, Producer Virender Bhagat Khan’s debut film ‘Maharaj’ are now terim injunction. The High Court de- P Malhotra and bankrolled by Aditya
thanked the apex court for hearing set to challenge the Gujarat High cided to hear all the petitions on June Chopra under the YRF Entertainment
the matter. He also said that the cen- Court’s stay order that has paused the 18. The moratorium will continue at banner. The film also stars Jaideep
sor board had found the movie to be release of the movie till June 18. The this stage. Ahlawat, Sharvari and Shalini Pandey.

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